Task Scheduler question........ [Windows XP]

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From: J Tinsby on 2 Mar 2010 11:25

Hello,

I have been trying, with little or no success, to get TS to run my
Auslogic defrag program once a week. Seems that no matter what I do it
won't start, BUT..... it did once as the log shows. After that at the
appointed time it never runs.

In the RUN line I have "C:\Program Files\Auslogics\Auslogics Disk
Defrag\cdefrag.exe" C: D: -bk

The START IN box is blank

The exerpt from the log on the day it ran successfully is:
"Auslogics Boost Speed Disk Defrag Console Defragmentation.job"
(cdefrag.exe)
Started 2/22/2010 10:00:12 AM
"Auslogics Boost Speed Disk Defrag Console Defragmentation.job"
(cdefrag.exe)
Finished 2/22/2010 10:01:09 AM
Result: The task completed with an exit code of (0).

Note that I did not create the run line, it was put there when I
installed the Auslogic program.

I only need the program to run once a week, I have also tried having
it wake up the machine from S3 standby, or from totally OFF, but that
doesn't work either.

What can I do to make it work as it should? I am using XP Pro with SP3
and all updates installed.

Thank you very much for any help you might give me.

J Tinsby

From: John John - MVP on 2 Mar 2010 11:38

From: Jose on 2 Mar 2010 13:28

On Mar 2, 11:25 am, J Tinsby <n...(a)present.com> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have been trying, with little or no success, to get TS to run my
> Auslogic defrag program once a week. Seems that no matter what I do it
> won't start, BUT..... it did once as the log shows. After that at the
> appointed time it never runs.
>
> In the RUN line I have "C:\Program Files\Auslogics\Auslogics Disk
> Defrag\cdefrag.exe" C: D: -bk
>
> The START IN box is blank
>
> The exerpt from the log on the day it ran successfully is:
> "Auslogics Boost Speed Disk Defrag Console Defragmentation.job"
> (cdefrag.exe)
> Started 2/22/2010 10:00:12 AM
> "Auslogics Boost Speed Disk Defrag Console Defragmentation.job"
> (cdefrag.exe)
> Finished 2/22/2010 10:01:09 AM
> Result: The task completed with an exit code of (0).
>
> Note that I did not create the run line, it was put there when I
> installed the Auslogic program.
>
> I only need the program to run once a week, I have also tried having
> it wake up the machine from S3 standby, or from totally OFF, but that
> doesn't work either.
>
> What can I do to make it work as it should? I am using XP Pro with SP3
> and all updates installed.
>
> Thank you very much for any help you might give me.
>
> J Tinsby

Let's make sure your Scheduled Tasks mechanism is sound first using a
simple test, then try to fix your Auslogics.

I have not used Auslogics in a while, and I may install it after you
complete these tests if you still have a problem.

Some applications you may want to schedule at a convenient time
require user intervention (answering questions via the keyboard).
Does your application have options to run unattended and is it
designed to run as an unattended scheduled task?

It is strongly suggested that the task be assigned to a user that has
a password (I would not use the Administrator account), so create a
new user with a password just for scheduled tasks or add a password to
your account if needed. You can temporarily assign yourself a PW to
test and worry about this later.

If your login does not use a password, you should assign a password to
your currently logged in account right now - at least temporarily for
the following tests. You can remove the password later if you want.

If you don't use an account with a password, you will get an error
trying to create the task. It will still be created, but will not run
properly.

There is a way around this, but get this working first to be sure your
mechanism is not afflicted.

Stop the Task Scheduler service.

Delete or rename the probably cluttered ST log file:

c:\windows\schedlgu.txt

Restart the Task Scheduler service to create a new log and take a look
at it with a text editor.

Browse to the folder where the STs are stored:

c:\windows\tasks

Here you will see all your STs and pay attention to the different
column headings that are particular to this folder.

The Next Run Time, Last Run Time, Status and Last Results columns are
of interest. You can also click Advanced and view the log.

Choose to Add Scheduled Task. Create a new task to run Command Prompt
once, now using the same login and password as the account you are
currently logged in. If you don't use a password, you will get an
error trying to create the ST (more on that later). The ST will be
created, but it will never run.

Right click the new Command Prompt task and choose Run and a command
window should open immediately. If not, something is wrong. If yes,
your mechanism is sound. Look in the log file to see your results.

You know how to remove the log now, so that is up to you. Be sure the
Task Scheduler service is running again and try to get your afflicted
task working.

Add or change your desired task Properties using the same credentials
(user and password) that was used when you created the task to run the
command prompt task - since you know that works okay.

Try to Run your new or troublesome task, observe the columns, and the
log. If your task fails to run manually, the errors in the log file
are the clues to what to do next.

From: Jose on 2 Mar 2010 14:27

From: Lem on 2 Mar 2010 14:35

J Tinsby wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have been trying, with little or no success, to get TS to run my
> Auslogic defrag program once a week. Seems that no matter what I do it
> won't start, BUT..... it did once as the log shows. After that at the
> appointed time it never runs.
>
> In the RUN line I have "C:\Program Files\Auslogics\Auslogics Disk
> Defrag\cdefrag.exe" C: D: -bk
>
> The START IN box is blank
>
> The exerpt from the log on the day it ran successfully is:
> "Auslogics Boost Speed Disk Defrag Console Defragmentation.job"
> (cdefrag.exe)
> Started 2/22/2010 10:00:12 AM
> "Auslogics Boost Speed Disk Defrag Console Defragmentation.job"
> (cdefrag.exe)
> Finished 2/22/2010 10:01:09 AM
> Result: The task completed with an exit code of (0).
>
> Note that I did not create the run line, it was put there when I
> installed the Auslogic program.
>
> I only need the program to run once a week, I have also tried having
> it wake up the machine from S3 standby, or from totally OFF, but that
> doesn't work either.
>
> What can I do to make it work as it should? I am using XP Pro with SP3
> and all updates installed.
>
> Thank you very much for any help you might give me.
>
> J Tinsby

TS can be finicky about what it runs. Sometimes, I've been able to
resolve a situation such as you describe (it used to work, but now it
doesn't) by deleting the task and then re-creating it. Or try this:

- Start event viewer (Start > Run > eventvwr.exe)
- Clear the Application and System logs
- Open Task Scheduler, right click your desired task and select "Run"
- Go back to the event viewer and see what the error message is. If you
didn't close event viewer, select one of the logs, then click on
"Refresh" in the "Actions" menu.

If you can't figure out the problem yourself from the error message,
click on the icon just below the up/down arrows in the "Event
Properties" display and then paste into your next post.

--
Lem

Apollo 11 - 40 years ago:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/40th/index.html

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